When Tottenham and Chelsea face off against each other on Sunday – a match that pits last season’s champions against the runners up that briefly made the title race interesting – they both do so weaker than they were last year. The Blues have lost two key cogs of their spine and their legendary skipper, while Spurs sold off the best right-back in the division for £50m.

As yet, they have yet to reinvest that money, leaving their squad almost exactly as it was last year: underequipped to compete on four different fronts. Likewise, Chelsea’s already tightknit squad is in need of reinforcements in almost every area.

When their respective line-ups are named at Wembley, their benches are likely to be a who’s who of who’s that. But while last season’s top two have stagnated, the rest of the league have improved, fixing glaring weaknesses and bolstering their numbers. Suddenly the two sides that led the rest are lagging behind, with plenty of work to do before deadline day…

ARSENAL

Arsenal have good depth across their squad, with most of their backup defenders keeping Chelsea’s plethora of attacking talent at bay in not one, but two trips to Wembley across the past few months. Per Mertesacker provides enormous experience, while Rob Holding is a player with bucket loads of potential.

In attack, the Gunners can count on perhaps the best super sub in the entire league in the form of Olivier Giroud, who once again netted a winner off the bench against Leicester City. The likes of Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott and Alex Iwobi are all able understudies, though the central midfield looks a little lightweight and reinforcements are required.

What do they still need?

CHELSEA

It is easy to see why Antonio Conte still wants as many as five new signings, with Chelsea’s squad far too thin to genuinely challenge across four different competitions this season. Two new wingbacks are required – though top targets Alex Sandro and Danny Rose appear out of reach – while a new centre-back would be welcome too.

The midfield is a serious issue, though not one that seems to be a pressing concern. Rumours of a £15m bid for Danny Drinkwater aside, there is a serious possibility of Chelsea going into the new season with just three central midfielders to choose from. Up front, and despite a prolific pre-season, Conte still seems to want a new backup striker.

What do they still need?

> Sign a new pair of full-backs as cover/competition
> Bring in one more centre-back, i.e. Virgil van Dijk
> Bolster the midfield with one or two new faces
> Sign a backup striker if Michy Batshuayi is not trusted

LIVERPOOL

Liverpool have pretty good coverage across their squad, though the defence looks like the Achilles heel. Their first-choice options have hardly been impressing recently – and shipped three goals against Watford – and the prospect of having to rely on Ragnar Klavan for any sustained period of time is not a pretty one.

They have plenty of options in attack, assuming they hang onto Philippe Coutinho of course. If not, they start to look a little light on creativity. For a team that plays with a false No.9, they have plenty of traditional striking options in reserve. There is still room for an all-action midfielder – say Naby Keita – to elevate the squad to a new level.

What do they still need?

> Hang on to Philippe Coutinho at all costs
> Sign a new starting centre-back, Joel Matip drops to the bench
> Tempt RB Leipzig with one massive final offer for Naby Keita

MANCHESTER CITY

No team comes close to match Manchester City’s abundance of attacking weapons and creative outlets. Their backup options would get into most of their rivals’ starting XIs, while there is a perfect blend of experience and youth. Pep Guardiola will have no worries if certain first teamers go through sticky patches, because he has so much firepower in reserve.

The real issues come in defence, however. Dani Alves’ snub caused City to spend far more than they wanted to on full-backs, and has left precious little left for a centre-back. Right now, they are one Vincent Kompany injury away from serious issues. Jonny Evans could arrive to bring experienced backup, though it is pretty clear that City’s hope rest on their backline staying fit.

What do they still need?

MANCHESTER UNITED

As he so often does, Jose Mourinho has built an excellent squad full of talent evenly spread out across every area of the pitch. He still would have wanted to sign one more winger this summer, though his side has enough pace and creativity even without such a player, while there is healthy competition in almost every position.

It is arguable that he still needs another backup striker, given that he does not trust Anthony Martial through the middle, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s probable re-signing in January solves that issue. Additionally, a backup right-back would relieve the burden on Antonio Valencia. Still, his second string XI has oodles of experiences and legitimate ‘Plan B’ options.

What do they still need?

TOTTENHAM

Probably the worst second XI of the lot, Tottenham are in dire need of some new signings this summer to supplement the most balanced starting lineup in the division. But beyond those 13 or so players vying for first-team roles, there is very little to like about Spurs’ reserve options, with far too many spots given up to unproven youngsters or big-money flops.

Vincent Janssen struggled to step up when Harry Kane was rested or injured, while Moussa Sissoko has done nothing to justify his club-record transfer fee. Tottenham clearly still need more depth in midfield, a new right-back, a pacey wing option and additional firepower up top. Ironically, the one deal they are closest to completing (centre-back Davison Sanchez) is for the position in which they are most stocked.

What do they still need?

> Buy a right-back replacement for Kyle Walker
> Sign a player to make an attacking impact off the bench, i.e. Ross Barkley
> Find a long-term heir to Mousa Dembele in midfield
> Strengthen the back-line with a new defender, i.e. Davison Sanchez

It is pretty obvious, then, that Chelsea and Tottenham lack the squad depth of their rivals, even if their starting XIs are every bit as good. That will prove costly next season unless they spend big in the two weeks before the window closes. Arsenal have options in every position, Liverpool have depth across the board, Man City have an abundance of firepower and United are oozing with competition. Chelsea and Spurs still have work to do.